Harvey Weinstein’s accusers sue his company, alleging it enabled ‘predatory behavior’ by Richard Winton
11.15.17
Harvey Weinstein has been the subject of many headlines since early October 2017 when the New York Times published an article in which they revealed three decades of sexual assaults and cover-ups.
Now, he, along with his company from which he was fired, are being sued. A new class-action lawsuit alleges that his company enabled him in these behaviors, specifically his lawyer. His company is now faced with the prospect of bankruptcy due to the serious, and numerous, accusations.
Weinstein has been accused of some form of inappropriate behavior by more than 70 women including actresses such as Cara Delevingne, Angelina Jolie, Lupita Nyong’o, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Currently, there are 14 open sexual assault investigations in cities such as Los Angeles, New York, and London. He has paid eight settlements (that the public is aware of). The victims are seeking $5 million in damages, a number which is expected to rise with the new allegations coming to light. The stories of victims have sparked campaigns about sexual assault awareness under the hashtag #MeToo.
Questions:
- Do you think this will have an impact on the industry and how it deals with sexual assault?
- Do you believe Weinstein and/or his company will be held liable or not liable?
These accusations will have an impact on how sexual assault is dealt with. The fact there are so many people claiming as a victim means that the problem of sexual assault will gain attention and awareness. This may cause a positive response; however, the company he worked for is also at risk. Thus, they may use the large number of victims against the victims, claiming that the victims are hopping on the bandwagon and not actually a serious victim. The company will of course try to save as much as money as it can, but overall the campaigns and attention raises awareness on the issue. So, the impact on the industry will likely be detrimental but it will improve how sexual assault is dealt with.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this issue will have a big impact on the industry because it will illuminate the issue of sexual assaults. Many actresses and women are uniting to speak up through the sexual assaults of Harvey Weinstein that gives them power. This will severely damage the reputation of his company and will try to consume as much money because the suit seeks money from the damages and is still escalating. In all, this issue will gather many to be empowered through the sexual assaults that many producers have abused.
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe that these accusations and, if discovered to be true, his actions will have a tremendous impact on the film industry. Many people, especially men, that find so much success in such industries often experience what some call "power trips" and believe that they are more important than other people around them. This leads to occurrences such as the ones discussed in the blog post and I think that the industry should regularly check these individuals behaviors in order to ensure the safety of others in contact with them.
ReplyDeleteWe've seen in Capitol Hill where more and more cases about sexual misconduct are gaining nation-wide attention. This is good and this is also happening in the film industry and also the tech industry, more specifically Silicon Valley companies such as Uber. This cases are not only just changing the film industry but they are changing the work-force as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThese accusations will have a big impact on the film industries, especially with the large number of sexual misconduct charges within the industry recently. Due to the fact that 70 women have accused Weinstein Co. for sexual misconduct, they will likely face charges. However, these suits will have little impact in limiting future incidents due to the large power that these entities hold. It will likely be up to legislation and the will of the people to prevent future sexual misconduct.
ReplyDeleteThis definitely will have an impact on how the industry deals with sexual assault accusations. Although this it may not be the morally correct reason, the threat that sexual assault accusations clearly pose to businesses, the example being set by Weinstein, will show other large companies in the industry that they need to be more careful with their behavior especially with the huge social media spark.
ReplyDeleteI believe these accusations will have a large impact on the industry mainly due to how there is such a large number of accusations. Harevy's and the companies reputation will be ruined forever. Although I am unsure if we will see a change in how sexual misconduct will be handled in the industry. With these industries have vasts amount of money, incidents like these are likely to happen in the future.
ReplyDeleteThese accusations against Weinstein indefinitely will have a large impact on the industry. Not only are women more empowered to talk publicly about their experience with sexual assault, but assaulters are now being punishing setting a precedent that people in power are not untouchable. Exposing the occurrence of sexual misconduct has created a cultural revolution that promotes a healthy work environment for men and women which will change not only the entertainment industry but all work forces. I believe companies will now take complaints of sexual assault more seriously because of the public is more aware.
ReplyDeleteAs we have seen in the recent weeks, #metoo has taken over Hollywood. The accusations against Harvey Weinstein were just the tip of a massive iceberg. Since he has been accused, many other powerful men in Hollywood and beyond have been accused and consequently fired or resigned. The industry now has to adjust to the shift in power and influence and come up with new ways to deal with sexual assault and other work-related incidents.
ReplyDeleteThis will have a huge impact on the industry because as more people come forward the more business they lose. The start of these allegations has opened a door for many more victims to step forward and begin to declare the abuse these very powerful men have over these women. It is shocking to see how prevalent this is in the entertainment industry and is obviously a serious problem worth fixing for future women in the industry.
ReplyDeleteThe impact will not only affect Hollywood, but will effect the allegations in all industries. More and more people are becoming comfortable confronting those who assaulted them in the past and it is becoming clear that the fear of the assaulter being powerful is diminishing. We already saw allegations against Roy Moore causing him to lose the election in Alabama. There is only room for growth in this issue.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Weinstein and his company will be held accountable due to the several accusations that are connected to his name. With all of the sexual misconduct stories that have been going on lately, the industry will certainly be affected. Women may feel unsafe in a sense.
ReplyDeleteI think in today's day in age, where women are increasingly becoming more vocal on sexual assault experiences, Weinstein and his company will be liable. This will have an impact on the industry because it will bring more awareness to the severity of sexual assault and how to protect those who have been assaulted. This may not be the end of sexual assault, but it sure is a great start into bringing more and more awareness to it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely I think this will have an impact on the way in which the industry deals with sexual assault cases. I believe more people will begin to come forward about their negative sexual experiences with more Hollywood stars, and in addition will be taken more seriously.
ReplyDeleteThis will indubitably have a large impact on the entertainment industry, as people feel safe and comfortable revealing their stories when they see others doing the same. With the rise of the "Me Too" movement, it is clear that more and more victims have stepped forwards after feeling empowered to do so. Weinstein's name is already tarnished, and his company has fallen apart, so I don't doubt that he will be held liable.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hollywood, or the entertainment industry, has had a history of sexual misconduct, and the Weinstein case is finally opening up the issue to the public. It has been suppressed and hidden through settlements for years, and I am glad to see women finally speaking up. I also hope that starting with this case, rape and other sexual assault cases will be considered more seriously and more people will empathize with their stories.
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ReplyDeleteI think that Harvey Weinstein's case and the "Me too" movement is propelling Hollywood to be more active and held accountable for combating sexual assault claims. It is great that it is allowing other women to open up and share their stores. I can only hope that it sets more of a precedent with harsher consequences for people abusing their power and committing such horrific acts as these consequences will hopefully prevent such actions.
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